Grain-Free Chocolate Mud Cake {with Otto’s Cassava Flour}

Recipe Macros

Tracking your macros is important while trying to remain in Ketosis. Here they are for one serving of this recipe.

Fat: 33g

Protein: 5g

Carbs: 46g (net)

Icons do not reflect ingredients.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I am SO excited. It’s an often overlooked holiday by many (myself included) but any excuse to eat all that comfort food should be embraced. What’s on my menu? We’re opting out of turkey this year in lieu of ham. And of course, Sweet Potato Casserole and Chocolate Pecan Pie will be on the table. We’re also having mashed potatoes, Cranberry Relish, pumpkin pie (have you tried my Mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts yet?!), and I’m going to try my hand (again) at some yeast dinner rolls (wish me luck).

Now, if memory serves me (mom, correct me if I’m wrong), I was supposed to be born on (or very near) Thanksgiving. My poor mom, just waiting and waiting, willing to do anything to get me out. She walked to the grocery store, bought a Thanksgiving turkey, and walked it home. And yet I still made her wait 2 more weeks. Sorry mom.

So what’s the point in me telling you that? This recipe. This cake. I had planned on making this cake in celebration of my (gulp) 35th birthday (which is a week from tomorrow). But unlike baby me, I’m impatient now. I couldn’t wait until my actual birthday to share this with you. I had to post it immediately. But let me just tell you, all the moms/grandmas/aunts/sisters/girls/women in your life would probably love you forever if you made them this cake for their birthday. Just saying…

So, a while back, I bought my first 2lb bag of Otto’s Cassava Flour. I’ve talked about it a little bit here, but I’ve been experimenting with it more and more. I remade my stepmom’s sausage gravy and it is just perfect.

Otto’s is fantastic. It’s my new go-to flour. Sorry almond flour, but you just aren’t cutting it anymore. I’m sure I’ll still use you sometimes, but cassava is my new love. So much so that I quit buying the 2lb bags and went straight for the 10lb bag. Yeah, it’s good stuff.

Now, let me tell you a little about this cake. Back in October, I was planning my daughter’s birthday party. She was turning 10 and that’s a BIG deal, you know? Double digits. So the cake had to be great. I started perusing Pinterest for inspiration and came across Katherine Sabbath. Now, that was really out of the question, I just couldn’t do anything with all those artificial colors, but the concept alone was so inspiring. Then I read about “mud cakes”, which honestly sounds really gross. But after a little more digging, it turns out mud cakes are pretty much magic. Like, the perfect cake.

Naturally, I needed to make one. Before I found cassava flour, I had been experimenting with a slew of different gluten-free flours and starches. I was kind of dreading trying to come up with the right mixture of flours to get this cake just right. But, that didn’t have to happen. The only flour in this cake is cassava, and there is no grainy texture, no gummyness (common with the starches), just perfect cake texture.

I tested it with a few variations and I will say that ghee beats coconut oil, and granulated maple sugar beats honey or maple syrup. Those are my personal preferences, but should you need to make the subs, it’s been tested and approved to work with either.

Grain-Free Chocolate Mud Cake {using Otto’s Cassava Flour}

Course:
Dessert

Prep Time:20minutes

Cook Time:50minutes

Total Time:1hour10minutes

Servings:12

Calories:502kcal

Author:Kendra Benson

I like to consider myself a connoisseur of cakes, and when this grain-free miracle came out of the oven, I couldn't believe my tastebuds. Not only is the taste chocolatey perfection, but the texture is spot on. I guarantee even gluten eaters wouldn't know the difference in a blind taste test. Best frosted with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and chocolate ganache.

Ganache

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 320°F.

If making cupcakes, line your tin with baking cups. If making cakes, lightly grease the pans with coconut oil, cut a parchment circle to fit the bottom of the pan, place it in the pan, and lightly grease that as well. Set aside.

Combine the milk and lemon juice, gently stir, and set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the ghee/coconut oil, chocolate, and honey/maple syrup. Heat until melted and combined, stirring occasionally.

While the chocolate mixture is melting, combine the Otto's Cassava Flour, baking powder/soda, salt, cocoa powder, and maple sugar (if using, see recipe notes) with a whisk to remove any lumps.

Once the chocolate mixture is melted, pour it into the dry ingredients, as well as the additional oil, eggs, water, and milk. Whisk until everything is fully incorporated and no lumps remain. It should be the consistency of a thin brownie batter (and taste just as good).

The cake is best eaten the same day. If making in advance, double wrap in plastic wrap (unfrosted) and store in the fridge for up to 5 days (but this cake is really best served without refrigerating).

Ganache

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the coconut milk over medium-low heat. Get it simmering hot but don't let it come to a boil.

Remove from heat and gradually stir in the chocolate, stirring constantly until completely melted. Let cool to about room temperature (you don't want to melt the frosting), and gently pour over the top and side of the cake. For best results, cool the frosted cake in the fridge for an hour to keep the ganache from dripping all the way down the sides.

Recipe Notes

* This recipe has been tested with grass-fed butter, ghee, and coconut oil. While all 3 yielded great results, the coconut oil cake had less flavor.

** Yes, baking powder is not paleo, but we use it. This recipe was tested with the baking soda/cream of tartar sub and the center didn't rise quite as well. Nothing that couldn't be fixed by trimming the top of the baked cake.

*** Using an all-liquid sweetener is not preferred, but if you don't have maple sugar on-hand, all honey or maple syrup work fine as well. Just be sure to reduce the water (as noted).

Paleo since 2013, keto since 2017. I love the challenge of creating healthy meals for my family and improving our long-term health through diet and a healthy lifestyle. In addition to spending my time in the kitchen, I love working on projects on our homestead in the foothills of Colorado, and tending to my garden and flock of chickens.

Heather

Arianna

Hi Kendra, my husband requested this cake for his 40th bday and I’ve never done anything like this but am ready to go for it all the way! I just got the cassava flour today and have already made donuts, I actually used 1/2 cassava and 1/2 almond flour, and they turned out excellent! Therefore, thanks for introducing us to that grain free flour, we’ll go 10 lbs ourselves next! Down to the question, looking at your mud cake slice it looks like you have many layers, and the recipe yields 2 layer cakes :/…. Do I have to double or triple the recipe to make the cake look like yours? Thanks for your time!

Arianna, for the cake in the pictures, I used a 6″ cake pan. If you used an 8″ pan, you’ll likely need to double it get that height. I cut the two 6″ rounds in half to get 4 layers, but 8″ rounds might not be tall enough for that. I’m glad to hear it turned out good with the 1/2 and 1/2 flour mixture as well, thanks for letting me know 🙂

Lauren

This cake is awesome!!!! But… I baked it Sunday and crossed my fingers. I filled it with a vanilla bean swiss meringue and a layer of gonache. Then I held my breath and put it in the fridge to set up. I know you said not to, but I had to.

I then gonached the whole cake and returned it to the fridge. I took it out again to decorate and returned it to the fridge until Monday. I let it sit out for several hours before we cut it and it was fantastic! Fudgy and not at all weird tasting. Texture was perfect.

It sat out last night and I had a taste for breakfast, because come on… It was staring at me! It was somehow even better. I cut a large piece to bring to a friend later and threw the rest in a big bowl to make cake balls with. (My daughter has been begging me to make gluten free cake balls since she’s never tried a cake ball). They’re in the freezer now and I have high hopes.

Give this cake more credit!!!! It’s amazing and can definitely withstand the fridge!

Constance Dudley Laub

Thank you so much for the great recipes and photos, I been reading your recipes tonight and am wowed at the ingredients list all so good real stuff, but I really need to thank for for the information about Cassava flour, I had never heard of it, after reading your recipes I order a bag and can hardy wait for it to arrive,

Karen

Kendra Benson

Yes, you certainly can, it will just have a slightly “darker” flavor (like if you were to use brown sugar instead of white sugar). Coconut sugar also doesn’t dissolve as easily as maple sugar but I don’t see that being a problem in this particular recipe.

Stacy DelliSanti

Hi Kendra,
Not sure if you are still replying to these threads but here goes. Can the eggs and butter be substituted to create a Vegan cake? I will try the recipe as is but, my niece is vegan and wanted to make one for her as well. Thanks so much looks yummy! Stacy